Smashwords

Speedyhen

Waterstones

Wordery

The war may be over, but the fight to belong is just the beginning.Left homeless, starving, and almost killed by the Second World War, the Saforo family are refugees fleeing Italy for a better life. The shores of Australia are calling to them and they head off, packing dreams of jobs, a home and… soccer.But from the moment they get off the boat, adapting to the Australian way of life is harder than it seems. Their family doesn’t speak right, eat right or even look right. As they struggle to build a simple life against the backdrop of 1950s’ racism, they start to wonder if they will be outsiders forever.A true family affair, Wanderers No More will make you laugh, remind you of your family, and warm your heart.

Wanderers No More is the sequel to Port Of No Return, but stands successfully as a historical novel in its own right. I hadn't read the first book and didn't find myself feeling as though I was missing information although, on the strength of Wanderers No More, I have now added Port Of No Return to my TBR list. The story begins with a poignant description of the Italian Saforo family coming into sight of the Australian coast, an entirely new land which they must make into their home. The phrase about this boat full of refugees 'holding their children's hands and not much else' really hit home to me the experience of these people. I was reminded that many thousands of displaced people are facing similar journeys now, some seventy years later, but often without the support of their families or their new nation.

My great-uncle emigrated to Australia as a Ten Pound Pom in the 1950s so I already knew about that wave of Australian immigration, but had no idea of the many our Europeans who undertook the same sea voyage a decade earlier. Saftich brings their lives into focus through the Saforos integration. I did sometimes feel that there were strange jumps in the narrative, events and decisions that weren't sufficiently explained, but I hadn't realised until the very end of the book that it is based on a true story. Conversations and the like have obviously been imagined, but most of the people we meet really did exist. I love the extra dimension this adds - and real life never does run as smoothly as a novel!

Meet the Author:

Michelle Saftich resides in Brisbane, Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Business/Communications Degree, majoring in journalism, from the Queensland University of Technology.

For the past 20 years, she has worked in communications, including print journalism, sub-editing, communications management and media relations.
Born and raised in Brisbane, she spent 10 years living in Sydney; and two years in Osaka, Japan, where she taught English.

Her historical fiction novel, Port of No Return, was inspired by a true family story. It was published by Australian independent publishing house, Odyssey Books in 2015. Its sequel, Wanderers No More was released in August 2017. Michelle is married with two children.

4 comments:

Glad you enjoyed this one Stephanie despite you wanting some more explanation. Since my family migrated from Europe to South America and then being an immigrant myself [from South America to the US) I enjoy immigration stories very much. Especially based on true stories!

My family's immigration to the UK was about 1000 years ago - Normans one side, Vikings the other - so I think we've lost that original sense of identity. I love thinking of myself as European rather than just English though.

Thank you so much for your review of Wanderers No More. I'm glad you could follow and enjoy it without having read the first novel. I was hoping it could be a standalone novel as well as a sequel. I'm particularly glad it added to your previous knowledge of Australian immigration. Kind regards